Al Qaeda's No. 2 Dr. Ayman al-Zawahri on Wednesday called on the Palestinians to intensify suicide and rocket attacks, saying in an Internet recording they were the only way to end Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. "Step up your martyrdom-seeking operations, and increase your missiles and ambushes, as there is no solution but this," the speaker urged Palestinians in the audio message.

According to Reuters, Zawahri slammed Egypt for not opening its border to the Palestinians, branding Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as a "traitor." "The brother from Gaza is refused entry (by Egypt), while an Israeli tourist is allowed to enter without a visa," he said.

The 11-minute message, issued on Islamist websites, marked the June 1967 six-day Arab-Israeli war, which Zawahri said "unveiled that (Arab) regimes had no principles ... except holding on to their seats (of power)."